Tucked away in a small shopping center just off Healdsburg Avenue just a block off Healdsburg's Plaza, Frank & Ernie's Tavern offers a casual change of pace.

Housed in one big room with dark-wood tables, a full bar and a high red ceiling, the cozy little pub offers a casual oasis for regulars and travelers alike, complete with two pool tables and six flat-screen TVs.

"The place has really captured the 'locals' feel. It has become one of the 'go to' local restaurants that serves great food at a reasonable price," said one of its frequent fans, Jim Morris, general manager of MacPhail Family Wines in Healdsburg.

"You can count on bumping into at least a couple of your neighbors there. The bar is quietly becoming one of the best watering holes around," Morris said.

Owner Ron Palmieri, a Healdsburg native who returned five years ago after more than 20 years in the restaurant business in Santa Barbara, named the place for his father, Frank, 83, a retired mechanic, and his uncle Ernie, a former bar and cafe owner who died earlier this month at age 91.

"We have people coming in and asking, 'Is Frank around? Is Ernie around?' I think they might think that Frank and Ernie actually run the place, but then we tell 'em it's a namesake thing," Palmieri said.

The walls are decorated with old photos of Frank, Ernie and the extended Palmieri family, which goes back 100 years in Healdsburg, he said. It's not unusual for visitors to reminisce about their own encounters with the Palmieri clan.

"There are a lot of old-timers around, and it's a small town and we're an old family," Palmieri said.

Initially introduced as a steakhouse, Frank & Ernie's scaled back in April to more of a pub-style operation, but kept one steak on the menu — a top sirloin — as well as sandwiches, burgers, and fish and chips.

The place also features a generous happy-hour menu, with smoked pork tacos, grilled shrimp and other snacks made from fresh ingredients in its own kitchen.

Ask Petalumans where to grab a good home-cooked meal at all hours of the day, and they'll point you to Pete's Henny Penny, the eatery just off Highway 101 on Petaluma Boulevard North.

Many who stop in appreciate that the restaurant is open 24 hours a day. The diner is especially popular among truck drivers and travelers. There's even a special lot reserved for truck and RV drivers, allowing overnight parking for those who need to catch a few winks before hitting the road again.

"I think people like that it's a family-owned business," waitress Cherie Castor of Santa Rosa said during her evening shift. "It's also the food, the portions, and the atmosphere."

Castor had just finished serving eight plates of hamburgers to a table in the back, and she was rushing back to the counter to take the order of one of her regulars — "what I had the night before," as he put it.

"Seventy-five percent of the customers are regulars," waitress Kelly Snow of Petaluma said. "It's the social atmosphere for regulars," she said about why locals were drawn to Henny Penny's. "And it's convenient for non-regulars."

Family-owned since 1971, the diner has become a Petaluma landmark. The homemade food is classic diner fare, from 12-ounce steaks and potatoes to a full plate of breakfast favorites.

"People like the hamburgers," Castor said. "But a lot of people order the fried chicken and chicken-fried steak. I can't sell enough of that."

The meat-eater's favorites begin with the Cowboy Steaks — the 8-ounce Flat Iron, the 10-ounce Filet, or 12-ounce Rib-Eye — and then there is a hefty line-up of burgers.

The most eye-catching and no doubt caloric is the "Cardiac Burger," a hamburger topped with blue cheese, bacon and avocado on a soft bun. But Bargaz, who lives in Sonoma, is particularly taken by the breakfast menu, which also has its share of comfort-food offerings.

Tasty dishes include Corned Beef Hash, Pigs in a Blanket and Hot Cakes. The service is always good, Bargaz said, but it's the food that keeps her coming back.

Tina Luther is another regular who is a fan of the specials and the expansive menu that's "well-priced and consistently good." She said while the restaurant serves comfort food, it's more polished than a "greasy spoon."

Luther is especially fond of its "unpretentious atmosphere" and its plentiful, comfortable booths. Yet another perk, she said, is the "family-friendly" appeal of its Kids Corner, created to give parents a moment.

"If kids are too fidgety to sit, there are little puzzles, crayons and hand-held toys so they won't drive customers nuts," Luther joked.

Trattoria Cattaneo is at 2700 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa. 542-9050. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Mondays through Fridays and dinner on Saturdays.

— Diane Peterson

Tucked away in a small shopping center just off Healdsburg Avenue just a block off Healdsburg's Plaza, Frank & Ernie's Tavern offers a casual change of pace.

Housed in one big room with dark-wood tables, a full bar and a high red ceiling, the cozy little pub offers a casual oasis for regulars and travelers alike, complete with two pool tables and six flat-screen TVs.

"The place has really captured the 'locals' feel. It has become one of the 'go to' local restaurants that serves great food at a reasonable price," said one of its frequent fans, Jim Morris, general manager of MacPhail Family Wines in Healdsburg.

"You can count on bumping into at least a couple of your neighbors there. The bar is quietly becoming one of the best watering holes around," Morris said.

Owner Ron Palmieri, a Healdsburg native who returned five years ago after more than 20 years in the restaurant business in Santa Barbara, named the place for his father, Frank, 83, a retired mechanic, and his uncle Ernie, a former bar and cafe owner who died earlier this month at age 91.

"We have people coming in and asking, 'Is Frank around? Is Ernie around?' I think they might think that Frank and Ernie actually run the place, but then we tell 'em it's a namesake thing," Palmieri said.

The walls are decorated with old photos of Frank, Ernie and the extended Palmieri family, which goes back 100 years in Healdsburg, he said. It's not unusual for visitors to reminisce about their own encounters with the Palmieri clan.

"There are a lot of old-timers around, and it's a small town and we're an old family," Palmieri said.

Initially introduced as a steakhouse, Frank & Ernie's scaled back in April to more of a pub-style operation, but kept one steak on the menu — a top sirloin — as well as sandwiches, burgers, and fish and chips.

The place also features a generous happy-hour menu, with smoked pork tacos, grilled shrimp and other snacks made from fresh ingredients in its own kitchen.

Ask Petalumans where to grab a good home-cooked meal at all hours of the day, and they'll point you to Pete's Henny Penny, the eatery just off Highway 101 on Petaluma Boulevard North.

Many who stop in appreciate that the restaurant is open 24 hours a day. The diner is especially popular among truck drivers and travelers. There's even a special lot reserved for truck and RV drivers, allowing overnight parking for those who need to catch a few winks before hitting the road again.

"I think people like that it's a family-owned business," waitress Cherie Castor of Santa Rosa said during her evening shift. "It's also the food, the portions, and the atmosphere."

Castor had just finished serving eight plates of hamburgers to a table in the back, and she was rushing back to the counter to take the order of one of her regulars — "what I had the night before," as he put it.

"Seventy-five percent of the customers are regulars," waitress Kelly Snow of Petaluma said. "It's the social atmosphere for regulars," she said about why locals were drawn to Henny Penny's. "And it's convenient for non-regulars."

Family-owned since 1971, the diner has become a Petaluma landmark. The homemade food is classic diner fare, from 12-ounce steaks and potatoes to a full plate of breakfast favorites.

"People like the hamburgers," Castor said. "But a lot of people order the fried chicken and chicken-fried steak. I can't sell enough of that."

Ann Leach of Santa Rosa takes her family when they're driving home late from someplace like San Francisco.

Her reason for coming back to Henny Penny's is that they keep it simple.

"It's down home, very family-oriented," she said. "We feel good about supporting them. The waitresses are funny, too."

Pete's Henny Penny is at 4995 Petaluma Blvd. N., on the corner of Stony Point Road in Petaluma. 763-0459.

The meat-eater's favorites begin with the Cowboy Steaks — the 8-ounce Flat Iron, the 10-ounce Filet, or 12-ounce Rib-Eye — and then there is a hefty line-up of burgers.

The most eye-catching and no doubt caloric is the "Cardiac Burger," a hamburger topped with blue cheese, bacon and avocado on a soft bun. But Bargaz, who lives in Sonoma, is particularly taken by the breakfast menu, which also has its share of comfort-food offerings.

Tasty dishes include Corned Beef Hash, Pigs in a Blanket and Hot Cakes. The service is always good, Bargaz said, but it's the food that keeps her coming back.

Tina Luther is another regular who is a fan of the specials and the expansive menu that's "well-priced and consistently good." She said while the restaurant serves comfort food, it's more polished than a "greasy spoon."

Luther is especially fond of its "unpretentious atmosphere" and its plentiful, comfortable booths. Yet another perk, she said, is the "family-friendly" appeal of its Kids Corner, created to give parents a moment.

"If kids are too fidgety to sit, there are little puzzles, crayons and hand-held toys so they won't drive customers nuts," Luther joked.